With an existing first floor that was disconnected and difficult to navigate in this Annapolis, Maryland home, Katalin Farnady, owner and interior designer of Farnady Interiors, www.farnadyinteriors.com, was hired to address the inefficient circulation and awkward columns that hindered the flow and appropriate furniture layouts. Low ceiling heights also reduced the water views, as well as made other spaces uncomfortable.
To alleviate the poor flow on the main floor and to realize the home’s full potential, Farnady brought in architect Peter Miles, principal, The Drawing Board, Inc., www.thedrawingboardinc.com, to work with her to correct previous renovation mistakes. One of many goals was to open the walls and add large windows to capture the views. To bring order to the spaces, the team first reengineered the existing structure with large steel beams to minimize the number of columns and then evened out the ceiling heights to better define the spaces. In the living room, they installed new 10-foot-tall doors that extend beyond the adjacent ceiling, drawing the eye up and out to elongate the grand scale of the space.
“The spaces were greatly underachieving their potential,” adds Miles, who, along with Farnady, devised a plan to connect the foyer, living room, kitchen, and music room by removing several columns, archways, and low walls. “We then slightly reconfigured the floor plan to create defined spaces so the rooms flowed,” he says. “Height and scale in architecture are relative, from one space to another, and from a space to the human body. By carefully managing changes in scale, one can create the illusion of more height.”
“The owners had full trust in me when it came to architectural changes, floor planning, furniture, lighting, and finishing selection,” says Farnady. Lighting was a critical part of the design, not just for establishing well-lit spaces for every setting, but also to create hanging sculptures, such as the foyer chandelier by Kelly Wearstler for Visual Comfort. Also in the foyer is a treasured piece of art that Farnady found in North Carolina years ago. “I bought it because I fell in love with it and could not leave it behind. I knew one day I would have the right project for this piece of art by Brad Huntzinger,” Farnady adds.
To provide adequate seating in the living room, Farnady added a custom sectional by Bernhardt, accompanied by Donghia swivel chairs. A concrete coffee table and a white oak curio cabinet, with the wall opening custom-cut to fit the cabinet, are among the other pieces. The marble fireplace surround, slightly offset to balance the undersized firebox, and a touch of green to bring nature into the room complete the overall space.
The kitchen was given a facelift by repurposing what they could, including the solid wood cabinetry, and adding some new elements, such as hardware, paint, counters, fixtures, and appliances. The refresh allowed the design team to add a coffee station and storage cabinets. Farnady also created a music room with a backlit stone bar as a dedicated space for the husband to write music.
The team’s renovation goal to establish an overall cohesiveness in the house was achieved. While they love all the spaces, the living room is a standout. “It’s a great example of how small changes can really elevate an underperforming space,” Miles says.
